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UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 



LAWN TENNIS 

AS A GAME OF SKILL. 



Lawn Tennis 



AS A GAME OF SKILL 



WITH LATEST REVISED LAWS AS PLAYED 
BY THE BEST CLUBS 



,r 



Sir 

LIEUT. S. G. F. PEILE 



EDITED BY 

RICHARD D. SEARS 

NEW YORK 
CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS 

1885 



Copyright, 1885, by 
CHARLES SCRIBNEITS SONS. 



PREFACE TO THE AMERICAN EDITION. 



Mr. Peile, in treating lawn tennis as a game 
of skill, seems to me to have written what 
should be of substantial service to those who 
care to devote some time and pains to a thor- 
ough understanding of the game, and to the 
improvement of their play ; and I am glad to 
accept the invitation of the publishers to add 
a few notes suggested by my own experience, 
and to commend Mr. Peile^s book to American 
tennis players. 

It is hardly necessary to speak of the rapid 
progress the game has made in this country. 
Every one even in a remote degree interested 
in out-of-door sports has marked its growing 
popularity, until now every section has its ten- 
nis clubs, its "crack" players who first vie with 
each other for local championships, and later 
on put in an appearance at the national tourna- 
ments which occur each summer at Newport, 



6 PREFACE TO THE AMERICAS' EDITION. 

to try their skill with the best players in the 
country. 

It has often been said, and very truly, that 
games cannot be learnt from books, or, at all 
events, that the knowledge gained from books 
profiteth a man nothing if not supplemented by 
actual experience. This book is written simply 
to help the player to an understanding of the 
science of the game, to i^oint out faults to 
which even expert players are sometimes ad- 
dicted, and to lead the reader to direct and de- 
velop what skill he may be possessed of. 

Although Mr. Peile writes for English play- 
ers, who have established the game wherever 
England has possessions, his good advice applies 
with equal force to all players everywhere, the 
laws which govern the game being always the 
same. The few slight differences between the 
rules adopted by the English and American as- 
sociations were revised only a short time ago to 
Egree with each other. 

R. D. SEARS. 

Boston, July 20, 1885. 



CONTENTS. 



PAGE 

5 

I. HINTS TO BEGINNERS, ... 9 

II. COMMON FAULTS, . . . .16 

III. COURTS, NETS, AND APPURTENANCES, . 23 

IY. GENERAL PRINCIPLES AND CLUB RULES, . 80 

Y. THE SINGLE GAME, . . 36 

YJ. THE DOUBLE GAME, . . .44 

VII. RULES THAT ARE OFTEN DISREGARDED. 

THEIR OBJECT, AND REASONS THEREOF, . 54 

VIII, WHEN TO TAKE A BISQUE, . . 62 

IX. A CHAPTER FOR LADIES, . . .68 



LAY'S OF LAWN TENNIS AS ADOPTED BY THE 

M.C.C. AND THE A.E.L.T.C, . . 78 
DECISIONS BY THE "FIELD," 1881-83, . . 85 
TABLE SHOWING METHCD OF CALCULATING DIF- 
FERENTIAL ODDS, . . . .88 



LAWN TENNIS. 



I._ HINTS TO BEGINNERS. 

IN compiling a few hints and suggestions for 
the benefit of the inexperienced player, I can- 
not do better than begin with the " service." The 
first rule in serving — and one that is much disre- 
garded — is that " one foot must be on the base- 
line and the other foot behind that line, but not 
necessarily upon the ground." 

There are, generally speaking, three sorts of 
" service," which admit, of course, of varia- 
tions : 

1. The over-hand service. 

2. The under-hand service, with twist or cut. 

3. The " plain" service, delivered with the arm 

in as nearly a horizontal position as pos- 
sible. 
I should myself incline to think that the over- 



10 LAWS TEXXIS. 

hand service, if delivered hard and effectively, is 
the best, as it is difficult to " place" in the return ; 
but I should recommend beginners to give each 
sort of service a fair trial, and then adopt the one 
which they can, with the greatest certainty, get 
over the net with sufficient pace, screw, or cut on 
to prevent the adversary from doing " what he 
likes with it." 

You see many players attempt a terrifically 
hard service the first time, which seldom escapes 
being a "fault" ; they then toss their second ser- 
vice over in such a manner that it is almost a cer- 
tain " ace" for their opponents. . The inutility of 
a very easy service is more noticeable in a single 
than in a double game, as in the former there is, 
of course, greater opportunity for "placing." 

This erratic first service, followed by an easy 
second one, is a great, though very common, mis- 
take. It would be much better to give a moder- 
ately difficult service the first time ; and this, 
with practice, can be acquired by almost any 
player. 



HIXTS TO BEGIXXERS. 11 

To players of some experience, I would venture 
to offer the following advice : Try to cultivate a 
useful second service, in case of the first one being 
a fault. 

As I am, however, writing more for the benefit 
of beginners, I will try to explain — though it is 
not easy to do so without diagrams — the position 
the body and limbs should assume while deliver- 
ing the three different sorts of service alluded 
to: 

1. The Over-hand Service. 

Throw the ball up to the point that the centre 
of your bat reaches, when held above your head. 
Throw it rather to the right front, and then cut 
at it from left to right. This i( cut," though 
rather diminishing the pace of the ball, will help 
it to remain in court, and, if properly executed, 
will cause it to swerve slightly before bounding, 
and afterwards to tw T ist to your own left, or, of 
course, to the adversary's right. This I look upon 
as the service most to be depended on, if you do 



12 LAWK TEXNIS. 

not try to force too much pace on it ; if a " fault," 
repeat the same process, rather more slowly. 
This was the service affected by the Messrs. Ken- 
shaw last year at Wimbledon, where I was fortu- 
nate enough to see them play. 



2. The Under-hand Twist Service. 

Let the ball drop low, to within, say 10 inches 
of the ground, rather to your right front ; bend 
the body, and cut at it from right to left : this 
will cause the ball to twist to your right, or to the 
adversary's left, after the bound. The back-hand 
service should be delivered in much the same 
manner, except that the ball need not be dropped 
quite so low, and, of course, the cut administered 
will be from left to right, causing the ball to twist, 
after the bound, towards the adversary's right. I 
have noticed that lady-players are, as a rule, much 
puzzled by a " twister" ; they would do well to 
remember that a ball struck by the adversary 
front - handed (in contradistinction to back- 



HIXTS TO BEGI^XERS. 13 

handed) must twist to their own left, while a ball 
struck back-handed will invariably twist to their 
right. After a little training the eye will get ac- 
customed to the amount of twist put on, and al- 
lowance and change of position should be made 
accordingly. 



3. The Plain Service with a Straight Arm. 

To those w T ho cannot master either of the pre- 
ceding services, I would recommend the plain ser- 
vice, with the arm in a horizontal position. Throw 
the ball about a foot away from you, rather to the 
front, and strike for just above the top of the net. 
If you see your adversary has taken up his posi- 
tion on the right side of the court, try to place 
your service to the left ; and, conversely, if he is 
on the left, put the ball to the right : if he is in 
the centre, always try to give him one which he 
will require to take back-hand. No great pace 
can be put on to this service ; so you must try to 
make it as difficult as possible by placing it. 



1-4 LAWN TENNIS. 

A short sharp cut downwards on the ball will 
have the effect of making it shoot — this is the 
" cut" in contradistinction to the "twist,"* 

There are many variations of service, of course : 
the over-hand hard thump down without cut, 
though this seldom results in aught but a fault ; 
the slow over-hand twist ; the slow under-hand 
twist ; and the ordinary toss service, which is most 
disastrous with a good adversary, but is much in 
vogue with ordinary players after they have served 
a fault. 

To take the Service. — You will see many be- 
ginners place themselves on the extreme left of 
the court in order, as they say, to avoid getting 
the ball to their back-hand. This is most unwise, 
as, if the server gives a sharp one to the right cor- 
ner of the court, they cannot arrive in time to 
take it. Similarly, others go to the extreme right 



* However, as a general rule, it is better in the long 
run to play the ball simply without twist or cut, but 
paying the greatest attention to hitting it low over the 
net and placing it advantageously. — Am. Ed. 



HINTS TO BEGIXJSTEBS. 15 

of the court, when they will probably get a sharp 
one to their back-hand. 

The best position for ordinary service is a yard 
or so behind the service-line towards the centre of 
the court. If the service is very swift, it will be 
found necessary to stand close up to the " base- 
line," and sometimes even beyond it. 

If your adversary serves No. 1 service with a 
break to the right, you may stand a foot more to 
the right. If he serves front-hand twisters, stand 
a foot to the left of the centre of the court, and 
rather nearer in, as twist service generally falls 
short. If back-hand twisters, stand a foot to the 
right of the centre, still near in. If he serve 
plainly with a straight arm, stand to a foot or 
two, according to the pace he puts on, behind the 
centre of the service-line of your court.* 



* It is much better to stand too far back than too 
near, as it is easier to play a ball running forward than 
backward. In returning a ball, the beginner would do 
well to bear in mind that he should lean forward, put- 
ting the weight of his body into the stroke. If he 



16 LAWX TEXKIS. 

Ask your partner to look out for faults, as you 
require all your attention to take the ball. If it 
is doubtful whether a ball is a fault or not, do not 
stop to consider, but take it, as thereby disputes 
are saved. If a fault, you do no harm by taking 
it ; if not a fault, the play continues. 



II.— COMMON FAULTS. 

After instructing the beginner in the process 
of serving, there are certain common faults (in 
the extended sense of the word) which it is neces- 
sary to warn him against. He will do well to 
bear in mind perpetually the following points : 
Never apologize by saying you "thought the ball 
was not going to come over the net ;" it is your 



leans back, he is apt to send the ball up in the air in- 
stead of low. In playing a back -handed stroke, he 
should learn to cross his right leg in front of his left, 
so that the side of his body is toward the net, thus giv- 
ing him a greater reach and more control over the 
stroke. After practice he will find this back-handed 
stroke as easy as the fore-handed. — Am. Ed. 



COMMON FAULTS. 17 

duty not to think, but to place yourself in such a 
position that, if the ball does come over, you can 
take it. Be on your watch against the mistake 
of not "starting in time." A ball will come 
over the net and bound, and then, and not till 
then, do some players make a frantic rush, wildly, 
all arms and legs, dive at the ball, and either send 
it flying out of court, bang it into the net, or give 
such an easy return that a cool and collected ad- 
versary will demolish it. No sprawling player of 
this description can ever " place" a ball, or, except 
by a fluke, give a difficult return. A sprawler is 
generally a person whose occupations, before he 
took to this noble exercise, wer© sedentary. He 
has never played rackets or cricket, or he would 
know by intuition where the ball was going the 
moment it was struck. N"ow, ladies, do not ac- 
cuse me of calling you " sprawlers," for, as you 
will see, I have purposely applied the masculine 
" he" to that class of player ; moreover, of course, 
you could not sprawl. But as I have noticed that, 
with a few exceptions, ladies never seem to know 



18 LAWK TENNIS. 

where the ball is going, and as they hardly ever 
attempt to take up their position for the return- 
stroke until it has either bounded or is well on 
its way over the net, and that theft and only then 
they make a "start," and as often as not fail in 
their attempt to reach that " horrid ball," I attach 
a few simple hints for their benefit, and hope they 
may be of use to them as well as to the " sprawl- 
ers :" 

Watch your adversary well : the position of his 
bat with respect to his body, and the direction of 
his eye. 

If the bat is behind his body as he strikes the 
ball front - handed, he can only send it either 
straight to his front or to his right. If the bat is 
in front of his body as he strikes (front-handed), 
he will send the ball to his own left. 

Similarly back-handed : if he strikes the ball 
while it is on a level with, or behind, his body, he 
must send it either straight or to his own left. If 
it is in front of him, he will send it to his right. 

There are players who can disguise by their 






COMMON FAULTS. 19 

motions where they are going to send the ball ; 
but by watching their eye you will generally be 
able to tell where the ball will go, as they will 
almost invariably look last at that spot to which 
they intend to send it. There are very few play- 
ers who can look one way and send the ball 
another. This might lead to the question whether 
a glass eye might not be an advantage, but I 
think, on the whole, not. 

Another essential for "starting in time" is to 
keep cool and collected ; make no violent rushes, 
but balance yourself on the ball of either foot in 
such a manner that you can start as readily to 
the right as to the left, or vice versa. 

How effectually a player is stumped by being 
caught on the " wrong foot" ! This naturally 
leads us on to the following "ruse": Say you 
have driven a player into the corner of his left 
court, and he is starting quickly back again to 
regain his original position, thinking you will 
naturally send it to his right court, as that is va- 
cant ; watch him well, and as you see him start 



^0 LAWN TENNIS. 

to his right, send the ball sharp back to the left 
court, and you will almost for a certainty make 
an ace ; as, if he has really started, he will be 
" on the wrong foot/' and unable to recover him- 
self in time to get the ball. This is a very com- 
mon trick, so look out for its being practised 
against yourself. If you find yourself in this 
awkward position, make a start for the right 
court, but do it warily, and in such a manner 
that you can recover yourself at once, and get to 
the left, if, contrary to your expectations, the 
ball is returned there ; or, better still, "pretend" 
to make a violent rush to your right, and thus 
" induce" your adversary to send it to the left, 
when, being prepared for this, you will have no 
difficulty in returning the ball ; or, if your back- 
hand is weak, pretend to "lag" in the left court, 
and this will most probably induce him to send 
you one in the right court, for which you will, of 
course, have started as soon as he has struck the 
ball. By feints like this you can often induce 
your adversary to send the ball to the very place 



COMMON FAULTS. 21 

you wish him to, and thus, without his knowing 
it, gain a decided advantage over him in the 
rally, as you can now begin to " see-saw" him, ■ 
instead of his see-sawing you. By the term "see- 
saw" I mean driving a player first to one, and 
then to the other side of his court, until you tire 
him out, or score the ace. 

Another very common fault is that of trying 
to f kill" a difficult ball, or trying to send back 
a difficult or hard-cut return every time. This 
is more often than not committed by racket- 
players who are beginning lawn tennis. They 
will look upon the game as too easy, and forget 
that they have not a back wall to help them. I 
am not saying, mind, that lawn tennis is a more 
difficult game than rackets, for, of course, the 
palm must rest with the latter in every way ; but 
still the absence of a back and side walls is an 
important factor that some people persist in for- 
getting ; and this renders it impossible at times 
to send back a severe return. When you are 
"tucked up" or "in a hole," the best and safest 



22 LAWJBf TEXXIS. 

return is one tossed high in the air, and into 
the back of the opponent's court, thus giving 
yourself time not only to recover, but to see what 
your adversaries are going to do. Many players 
scorn this play, and call it an old woman's game, 
but it is often the only way to win. They, on 
the contrary, when they get a difficult ball, try 
to send it back hard and low with a cut on it, 
and the consequence is they either bang it into 
the net, or send it flying out of court. 

What a number of games are lost by want of 
patience and this non-recognition of the difficulty 
of the game, or, in other words, want of knowl- 
edge of "how to play lawn tennis" ! 

Have you never, my reader, played against a 
man you thought you could easily beat, and 
found to your horror that, though an elderly man 
perhaps, and with nothing like your own execu- 
tion, yet somehow or other lie managed to beat 
you, chiefly — when you come to think over it 
afterwards — by "patience" and "'placing" ? You 
cut back at him the most difficult strokes ; he 



COURTS, XET3, AXD APPURTESTAXCES. 23 

returned the ball high in the air, and then at last 
you lost patience, and cut one into the net. 

There is a class of player who often beats a 
better player, simply by patience ; but he could 
never win were only the better player to be 
equally patient and not try to do too much, but, 
awaiting his chance till he got an easy one, bang 
it down. This is the very essence of the game — 
"waiting till yoffc get a good chance." If you 
"place" carefully and with judgment, hit fairly 
hard, but not too hard, you are sooner or later 
sure to get your "chance," and then, with all 
your might, "a Eenshaw smash," and good-by 
to the inferior player, however patient he may be. 



III. — COURTS, NETS, AND APPURTE- 
NANCES. 

In England I have only seen two sorts of 
"court" : the "lawn," on which all matches are 
played — and disused "rinks," either covered or 
open, which come in very handy in winter, or 



24 LAWN TEXXIS. 

when the grass is too wet. There are several 
of these old rinks in and about London, and a 
good deal of play goes on at them. I would rec- 
ommend any one in town, who is really fond of 
lawn tennis, to join the "All England" Club, 
which owns the ground at Wimbledon ;* he is 
sure by that means to get a good ground to play 
on and good players to play with. The " Eich- 
mond" is a good club, and a good deal of lawn 
tennis is played there too ; the " Marylebone" is, 



* It is to be regretted that we have in America no 
organization which corresponds to this "All England" 
Club. However, anyone who desires to watch scientific 
play may be reasonably sure of rinding fine games in 
progress at the grounds of the Longwood Club, Bos- 
ton ; the Young America Club, Philadelphia ; the St. 
George Cricket Club, Hobokcn, New Jersey ; the Staten 
Island Cricket and Base Ball Club, New Brighton, Stat- 
en Island, N.Y., or at the Casino, Newport, during the 
season. All of these grounds are fitted with turf courts. 
Of late, and particularly in this country, "dirt 1 ' or 
clay courts have become popular. The "Far and Near" 
Club, for example, have all their courts at Hastings 
on the Hudson made of clay, but the hard and perfectly 
kept turf court must still be deemed the best adapted 
for scientific lawn tennis. — Am. Ed. 



C0UKTS, NETS, AXD APPURTENANCES. 25 

of course, more of a cricket club, and, besides, 
takes a long time to get into. There are, how- 
ever, any number of clubs ; in fact their name 
is legion, as can be seen by taking up any paper 
and looking at the lawn tennis engagements. In 
India, however, where it is, in many places, diffi- 
cult to grow good grass, there are various kinds of 
courts. I suppose Agra and Calcutta for the Bengal 
Presidency can boast the best " lawns. " Alla- 
habad has a goodly number of private pucka courts, 
some of them of Portland cement, and very fast 
true courts they make, though, of course, the 
quickness of the play renders it quite a different 
game to the grass one, and they are also more 
tiring to the feet. In Lucknow the courts are 
chiefly of chunam, or of beaten earth and cow- 
dung. The chunam courts are not so fast as the 
Portland cement ones, but more lively, if I may 
use that expression, the ball bounding as high as 
your head, for no apparent reason. The "mud" 
courts play more like grass ; but as the upper 
layer gets powdery through exposure to the sun, 



26 LAWN TEXXIS. 

a ball, with a good deal of cut on, will very often 
not bounce at all, but shoot along the ground in 
a most impossible manner. In hill stations vari- 
ous devices are resorted to for the manufacture 
of courts, fine gravel being the chief element in 
their composition. Xothing, in my opinion, can 
come up to a good velvety lawn (a rare thing in 
India, you will say !), which is soft to the feet 
and kindly to the eye, with the possible exception 
of a "coir-matting" court. Long strips of coir- 
matting stitched together, and well stretched, 
make a perfect court, combining all the element 
of speed and trueness, which is so extolled by 
those who have Portland cement courts, with all 
the pleasantness of play on, enjoyed by the owner 
of a good grass court. 

It would be invidious to say that one maker of 
bats and balls is better than another ; all makers 
can turn out good bats, and the best plan is to go 
and overhaul their stock until you find a bat that 
you "feel" you can play with. Personally, I 
think a plain strung bat, nearly straight, but yet 



COURTS, XETS, AXD APPrRTEXAXCES. 27 

with a slight curve, a roughened wooden handle, 
and heavy rather than light, is the best style of 
bat ; but of course, on this, as on most subjects, 
opinions differ.* . . . 

Courts. — Reverting to courts, I think at least 
15 ft. should be allowed behind either base-line, 
and 10 ft. at the sides, where it is possible to do 
so. f Some people have a tree, say 7 ft. behind 
one of the back courts ; others a bush ; while in 
another court the level alters at that distance, 
and there is a " drop" ; this last is the most dis- 

* Many of the best English and American experts 
will not agree in the author's preference for a heavy 
racket. Much the larger number among the best play- 
ers, including both champions of England and America, 
prefer medium weight bats, ranging from 14 to 15 oz. 
Readers will find that a racket with an octagon handle, 
which is now sometimes made in this country, is much 
firmer in the hand than the old style handle after the 
player once becomes accustomed to the rather sharp 
edges of the wood. However, use always the racket that 
suits your personal requirements best. — Am. Ed. 

t This is a point upon which too much stress cannot 
be laid. The player who is obliged to protect a court 
which has less than 15 ft. level sward back of the base- 
line is seriously handicapped at the outset. — Am. Ed. 



28 LAWJST TEXXIS. 

tressing of all, for not only is it a severe shock to 
the system to drop down a foot or two unawares, 
but it spoils one's play to have to be perpetually 
on the look-out for pitfalls. I think that 15 ft. 
at either end, and 10 at the sides, is the minimum 
that should be allowed. Of course in some 
places, where there is a great scarcity of level 
ground, one must make the best of a bad job, 
and avoid tumbling down if possible. The " net " 
should be 3 ft. in the centre, and 3 ft. G in. at 
the sides. How often one sees nets that are "all 
height" — perhaps 2 ft. G in. at the centre, and 
4 ft. at the sides ; and how utterly destructive of 
good play this is ! Cavendish's patent " net ar- 
rangement/' with wheel and ratchet, is of course 
the best.* The simplest and most effective system 
next to it that I have seen is the following : Get 
two stout poles, about 7 ft. in length and G in. in 



* The Cavendish " net arrangement" may be obtain- 
ed from .any dealer in lawn tennis goods . Another 
very excellent device lias been invented and patented 
by Dr. J. Dwigbt.— Am. Ed. 



COURTS, NETS, ANr APPURTENANCES. 29 

diameter ; iix them firmly in the ground, so that 
3 ft. are buried, leaving 4 ft. standing out. At 
3 ft. G in. from the ground bore a hole about 1 
in. in diameter ; in this hole a carpenter can 
easily fix a small wheel. Pass the rope on which 
the net is now suspended through either hole, 
and haul it up till the net is about 3 ft. 3 in. 
high at the centre ; fasten the ends of the rope 
to a stake in the ground on the outside of either 
post. Now get an iron fork made in 
this shape, the upright portion being 
exactly 3 ft. high ; put this fork over 
the net at point a, and drive the forked 
portion down until I) and c are flush 
with the ground. Your net will now 

'C 

j be 3 ft. in the centre, and 3 ft. G in. at 
I either side, and nothing short of an 
earthquake will alter it. 

Ayres' white balls are the best, and preferable 
by far to the red, or parti-colored red and white 
balls one sees used at some courts. There is a 
ball now made and much used, called, I think, 



30 LAWN TENUIS. 

"the enamelled ball'": this is an uncovered 

glazed ball, of the same size and weight as the 
match-ball, and is exceedingly convenient for 
rainy weather, as you simply have to rub the 
ball with a wet cloth, and it comes out as good 
as new. Of course they are a little more lively 
than the covered ones, but are decidedly prefer- 
able to old, dirty, or sodden-covered balls. 



IV.— GENERAL PEIXCIPLES AXD CLXJB 
RULES. 

There are many indifferent players who saw, 
" I don't play well : I have got to a certain point, 
and shall never get any better."' Xow these 
should remember that practice makes perfect. 
They have copied that phrase out many times as 
children ; why cannot they apply it now ? If a 
player really practises he must improve. It can 
hardly be called "practice" to go on perpetually 
making the same mistakes, and finally getl 



GENERAL PRINCIPLES AND CLUB RULES. 31 

thoroughly disgusted with one's self. What are 
required are patience, good temper, and a critical 
examination of one's own play and faults. Fail- 
ing these, no player can expect to improve his 
game. He has got to a " certain point " — by dint 
of playing, I suppose — for it is to be presumed he 
now plays better than he did when he first began. 
Why cannot he then get a point further ? I am 
afraid he does not really try ; he gives it up as a 
hopeless job. He always serves his first attempt 
a fault ; let him try a less difficult service, until 
he gets sufficiently good, by practising this easier 
one, to increase the pace, put on more "cut," or 
to be able to try the more difficult service with a 
reasonable chance of success. By-and-by he will 
be able to get it over the first time for nearly a 
certainty, and then he can practise for a yet more 
difficult service, and so on. There are certain 
strokes he always fails in ; he gives up hope, or 
gets impatient, and consequently always fails at 
this particular stroke. Let him try to "return" 
it with less pace on at first, until he succeeds in 



32 LAW2? TEXXIS. 

ing it over ; then lie can put it back a little 
harder, and so on, gradually improving his play 
in the points in which he is weak. The first es- 
sential is ion of weakness ; the second is 
capability serving where the weakness lies ; 
the thirds patience to overcome that weakness ; 
and the last, practice to annihilate it. Any player 
working on this system is bound to improve, un- 

-:\ he has some physical unfitness 
the game ; and them of course, he can only 
strive to minimise as much as possible the t 
of that infirmity. ] are some player- 

ally more I for the 

game than ot] sason why the 

latter should 1 se heart : they will not :. 
rapid strides at fi : the former do : but 

; on improving, v me day. 

-. through carelesness or laziness on the part 
of the former, they may put the moral of the 
ncernins: "the hare and the tor: 

A - [ild be 

:' lawn tennis : the i:. 



GENERAL PRINCIPLES AXD CLUB RULES. 33 

should strive to get better ; the good ones should 
remember that the game is at present in its inf an- 
ey, and that they may, like Mr. Kenshaw, 
evolve out of their inner consciousness some style 
of play that will annihilate even the " All Eng- 
land Champion." Personally, I believe that with 
a lawn tennis as with a billiard ball, " anything 
can be done f and were professionals to take to 
the game, we should see feats performed that are 
not even dreamt of now.* So let every player live 
in hope— the beginner emulating the veteran, and 
the fine player trying to put on some screw or cut 
that will render the ball untakable. 

There seems to be an idea prevalent in some 
places (I am speaking here chiefly of India) that 
lawn tennis on public courts should be legislated 
for as rackets is — i.e., that players should "cut 
in" strictly according to seniority of arrival on the 
ground. This is a very good rule theoretically, 
but is, in practice, conducive to the formation of 
bad and unequal games. It seems to me, too, 
that rackets and lawn tennis are hardly analogous. 



d4 LAWN TEXXIS. 

There are only one, or perhaps two, racket 
courts for all the players, and naturally rules 
must be strict, or the "duffers" would not 
have a chance. In lawn tennis it is different. 
There are at most public grounds a large number 
of courts, quite sufficient to admit of more than 
half the people present playing at the same 
time ; and I do not see why some arrangement 
should not be come to which would make the 
games as even as possible ; and in this way surely 
more enjoyment could be got out of the game 
than can be under the rule of the slate ? AVhy 
make hard-and-fast rules, like the laws of the 
Medes and Persians ? Let there be rules for 
general guidance ; but if players wish to accom- 
modate one another by exchanging, and thereby 
making two even, instead of two uneven games, 
let them be allowed to do so. For instance, in 
Xo. 1 court there are four players, one of whom 

>od, the others indifferent : in Xo. '2 i 
there are three good, and one indifferent player. 
Why make such rules as to condemn eight men 



GEXEEAL PKIXCIPLES AXD CLUB EULES. 35 

to play an uninteresting, because unequal game, 
the whole afternoon ? Let the good player in 
No. 1 court exchange with the indifferent one 

in Xo. 2 court, and two good and even-sided 
games will be obtained. Let a player, if he so 
choose, sit out a game, if thereby a better game 
can be obtained next time, and do not penalise 
him for so doing, as I have seen done at some 
courts, by making the wretched man go to the 
very bottom of the list. 

If exchanges of this sort once became general 
enough to be the custom, and if they were 
carried out in a proper spirit and m accordance 
with the general sense of the players, really 
good games would always be obtainable on pub- 
lic grounds. It must be remembered that one 
good player spoils a game for three poor ones just 
as much, if not more, than a bad player spoils a 
game for three good ones. Of course, exchang- 
ing and sitting out can be carried too far and the 
system abused ; but public opinion and the hon- 
orary secretary ought to be strong enough to re- 



36 LAWN TEXXIS. 

press any tendency of this sort on the part of tur- 
bulent spirits. In many stations in India the 
custom I have proposed exists, and the system is 
found to work satisfactorily — everybody doing his 
utmost to promote the interests of the game 
and the happiness of players by helping to form 
as equal-sided sets as possible. 



V.— THE SIXGLE GAME. 

Great argument is, I believe, now going on 
as to the respective merits of the different styles 
of play — the volley and the back game. I 
cannot see how there can be any argument in 
the matter at all, and think, and am going to 
try to prove, that a man who volleys from a 
position at a distance of 1 ft. behind the service- 
line, must beat an equal player, whose normal 
position is at the back of the court.* Of course 

* Mr. Renshaw and several other well-known play- 
ers take a position even in advance of that recommended 



THE SIXGLE GAME. 37 

if you can play the back game very well, and 
cannot volley at all, it would be ridiculous for you 
to attempt the volley game in a match. Volley- 
ing is merely a question of practice.* . . . And if 
you have a fair eye, you will soon find that you 
are able to volley just as easily, and place balls 
better than you formerly could from the bound, f 
ISTow get a piece of paper and mark out a court 
on it, draw a dotted line one foot behind the 
service-line in the single court and parallel to 
it, and remember that this is the line you have 
to defend at a vollev. We will call this dotted 



by the author, i.e., 3 ft. in front of the service-line. 
If you stand too far back it gives your opponent a 
chance to put the ball at your feet, thus making a hard 
stroke which otherwise might be an easy return. — Am. 
Ed. 

* Make up your mind that you will master it. — Am. 
Ed. 

t The experience of Mr. EL L. Lawford is a strong ar- 
gument in favor of the volley game. For some years 
Mr. Lawford was known as the finest base line player ; 
but finding that Mr. W. Renshaw invariably beat him, 
he has adopted the volleying tactics, declaring that it 
is the play to win. — Am. Ed. 



oS LAWN TEXXIS. 

line, for the sake of easy reference, the "volley- 
ing line." Draw diagonals from corner to 
corner of your court, and note' where they in- 
tersect your volleying line. You will now see 
that by playing up so much closer to the net you 
will have, for five balls out of six, less than two- 
thirds of the ground to cover that vour adversary 

O ■/J 

has, who plays from near the back-line. Xote, 
too, that from your forward position you can see 
much more of the game than he can. The only 
balls that can make you run much are those re- 
turned from the corner of the right or left court 
in a direction parallel with, and near to, either 
side-line. The best way to guard against a re- 
turn of this sort is to go a little to the left of the 
centre of your volleying line when your adversary 
has the ball in the corner of his right court, and 
vice versa a little to the right of the centre when 
he has the ball in his left corner. But do not go 
so much to either side as to enable him to put it 
past you on the other side. Xote by your diagram 
that any balls hit diagonally across the court will 



THE SIXGLE GAME. 39 

pass your volleying line not very far from the 
centre ; so the best general position to take up is 
about the middle of your dotted line, and always 
try to regain your place there if you have tem- 
porarily lost it during a rally. Note, too, that 
by your forward position you are within easy 
reach of any ball dropped gently over the net, 
while such balls would in all probability prove 
too much for your back-line adversary — more 
especially if you drive him well back in the first 
instance (which is very easy to do if he will not 
volley), and then drop a gentle one just over. 
You are sufficiently back, besides ; for most high 
balls, hit over your head so that you cannot reach 
them, will probably go out of court. You have 
this further advantage over your adversary — that 
while you can drive him back till he is almost 
behind the back-line and then droj^ a gentle one 
just over the net, he cannot well do the same to 
you ; for you, in all probability, intercept his 
ball at a volley that otherwise would have driven 
you back , and not having lost your position, 



40 LAWN TEXXIS. 

you are close enough to the net to deter him 
from attempting the ruse of a gentle one. Of 
course, he may make an unexpectedly good 
stroke that will drive you back, and having done 
so, if he is a good player, he will try to keep you 
there ; but even then you are on equal terms with 
him, until you can regain your position on the 
volleying line, when you will again have the ad- 
vantage over him. Playing against a man who 
also volleys, your great object is, by placing, to 
either get the ball past him or to drive him back, 
and to keep him back. Sooner or later, unless 
your adversary is a very fine player, you will get 
an easy chance, as, from your position, you can 
easily run in and smash a loose ball ; but until 
you get a good chance, play cautiously, and with 
your head ; place the balls as much as possible 
from right to left, or to some undefended spot, 
so as to keep your adversary, even though a 
volleyer, on the run, and the odds are, you get 
your chance soon enough ; but when it comes, 
be careful you do not miss it, but place the ball 



THE SIXGLE GAME. 41 

carefully, aucl hard, to some part of the court 
that your adversary cannot get to, in preference 
to " smashing" at it wildly,, thereby you would 
probably only put the ball into the net, and 
thus lose a golden opportunity. Another point 
— and this is most important — is, that the 
moment you have delivered your service you 
should follow it up, and take position on the 
'■ volleying line" to, if possible, volley the re- 
turn. Say you are serving from the right court. 
Deliver your service, and at once run to about a 
foot to the left of the centre of your volleying 
line. Your adversary returns the ball : now, if 
you can volley it sharp, hard, and well back into 
his left court, it will be an almost certain ace for 
you, as, having had to take your service in his 
right court, he will hardly be quick enough to 
get over to the left in time to reach the ball. 
Xote again by volleying how quick your return 
is; it is probably "past" your back-line adver- 
sary before he knows where he is ; whereas, 
while "he" is waiting for the ball to "bound," 



42 3LAWN TENNIS. 

you have ample time not only to watch what he is 
going to do, but to take up any position you may 
consider best suited for his return. We will sup- 
pose you are now taking a service in your right 
court. Remember, to deliver it, your adversary 
is also in his right court : consequently your best 
return is into his left court, making the ball go 
parallel and as close to the side-line on your right 
as possible ; then run immediately and take your 
position about a foot to the right of the centre of 
your volleying line, as the ball will, of course, be 
returned from his left court. Personally, I think 
the argument is all one-sided ; everything is in 
favor of the volleyer, while I cannot see any- 
thing that rests with his opponent, except it be 
the statement that "it is easier to return a ball 
from the bound than at the volley," and this I 
take leave to doubt. Note again that by volley- 
ing you prevent any cut or twist the ball may 
have on from acting ; while, if you wait for it to 
bound, you get the whole force of any cut or 
twist there may be on it, and run the risk of got- 



THE SINGLE GAME. 43 

ting a shooter — or, if there are any inequalities in 
the ground, of a false bound, or of the ball jump- 
ing as high as your head, which last, when you 
do not expect it, is most difficult to return. I 
do not say that you must volley every ball — that 
would be impossible : but volley as much as you 
can. Take every possible opportunity of doing 
so, and I think you will soon find yourself far 
ahead of your back-line friends. The mistake 
made at first by beginners at volleying is either 
that they are nervous, and remain too far back to 
volley properly, or else that they are too confident, 
and come too close to the net. This latter fault 
is most fatal, as if you are too near the net a 
steady adversary will be sure to put the ball 
quickly past you on either side, so that you can- 
not reach it, or will toss it over your head to the 
back of the court, when you have not only to run 
back for it, but probably also to turn, and the 
chances are you send back an easy return, and 
not being able to regain position, or being out of 
breath, vou lose an ace. Another great fault of 



44 LAWN TEXXIS. 

beginners is, that they forget to follow up their 
service, thus not only losing the advantage of 
position on the volleying line, but also giving 
their adversary a wide court in which to place the 
ball, and an opportunity of keeping them back. 
The man at the net has no chance in a single 
game, and I am going to attempt to prove in my 
Xo. YI. that this is not a good position for a 
player, even in a double game. 



VI.— THE DOUBLE GAME. 

There are, generally speaking, three ways of 
playing a double game : (1) the old style, in which 
both players remain in the back of the court : (2) 
where one player is up near the net, while his 
partner takes the back of the court ; (3) where 
the partners stand side by side on the volleying 
line (or one foot behind the service-line)," and 

* See note on page 36. 



THE DOUBLE GAME. 45 

volley as much, as they can, as in a single game. T 
will not deal much with the old style of play : it 
is getting obsolete, and this is in some ways a great 
pity, as one used to see long and very exciting ral- 
lies of perhaps fifty or sixty returns. Volleying 
has now knocked these on the head, and they exist 
no more. As we must move with the times, we will 
go on to Xo. 2 game, in which one man plays up, 
the other back. This game is the one most in 
vogue in India now, and here we get the elements 
of the " man at the net." I will first try to demon- 
strate how this style of game should be played, 
and then to prove that where both players volley 
as in Xo, 3 style, their tactics are far superior to 
those of Xo. 2 game. ATe will first suppose that 
you are the forward player, and that your partner 
is serving from the right court. Go close up to the 
net for the first service, if he serves well, as you 
will then be able to kill a loose ball : but take 
care that you do not leave sufficient room at your 
outer side {i.e., the side further from your part- 
ner) to allow of the adversaries placing the ball 



46 LAW^ TENNIS. 

past yon there. If the first service is a fault, drop 
back a bit, to about the service-line, as the second 
will probably be an easy one, and therefore the 
chances are against your adversaries sending a 
loose return. Sometimes if you make a feint of 
going to the right, as if you were going to poach 
your partner's ball, it may induce your opponent 
to send the ball to the left of you, when, if you 
are strong at a back -hand volley, being prepared 
for this, you may get a chance of sending back a 
severe return ; or this feint, if made at the last 
moment, may frighten your adversary, if he is 
nervous, into sending the ball so much to your 
right or left as to make it go out of court. Some- 
times, when you get a good chance, make a real 
rush to the right, and poach from your partner, 
but do not do this often. Doing so every now and 
then will make } T our feints of more effect than if 
you never poached at all. "When you run across 
like this, your partner, as I will show further on, 
should go to his left, and cover the blank space 
left by you in the court. Thus sometimes poach- 



THE DOUBLE GAME. 47 

ing, sometimes making a feint, you will put the 
other side out considerably, and unless they are 
cool, collected players, may score a few aces by 
these means. Shift your position a good deal, and 
never get into the habit of standing stock-still in 
one place. If you remain stationary, your adver- 
saries will know where you are, and can put the 
ball past you ; while if you keep moving, even 
though slightly, it will puzzle them. Always take 
care, as a forward player, to guard your outer 
side, as your partner cannot help you there, though 
he can take any ball that passes you on your inner 
side (or that side of you on which he is). Keep 
to your own side as much as possible, and do not 
be perpetually crossing your partner and taking 
hjis balls. When you do get an easy chance, how- 
ever, make up your mind, even though it be poach- 
ing, and run and smash the ball. If the adversaries 
get angry, and hit hard at you, notice how the 
ball is coming, and if it is on the rise, as it reaches 
you, dodge on one side, and, if they are hitting 
angrily, the ball will go out of court. If one of 



48 LAWN TEXXIS. 

your adversaries is also playing up, do not send 
the ball to him, unless you can hit hard at him, 
but work your back adversary. Above all things, 
do not get excited, but play coolly and collectedly. 
When your partner is serving from the left court, 
you can make feints of poaching with great ad- 
vantage, as you will thus, in all probability, get 
the ball sent to your right hand. 

Xow we will suppose that you are the back 
player, and that it is your j)artner who is playing 
up, one of the adversaries also being up. When 
your partner poaches, do not stand still and abuse 
him for so doing, but run across and guard the 
space he has left empty. If you can only remem- 
ber, to do this, you will save many a rally. His 
poaching is annoying, no doubt, especially if he 
sends an easy return : but never mind : do your 
duty at any rate, and run into the unguarded 
court. AYhen you are serving, remember that it 
is of infinite value to your up partner if you can 
get your first service over hard, as the adversaries 
will probably give him an easy return off it, which 



THE DOUBLE GA3IE. 49 

he can smash : so try and make as few faults as 
possible the first time. After serving run in a 
foot or two, as there is a large empty space in front 
of you which your partner cannot guard without 
poaching. By coming in in this way you will be 
able to get gentle balls dropped just over the net, 
and these you would not be able to reach were 
you to remain standing on the spot from which 
you serve. Note this point, as it is a most im- 
portant one. ISTine players out of ten stand stock- 
still after serving. When your adversary does 
this, drop a gentle one into the front of his court. 
Kemember, too, when you are back, not to hit at 
the man at the net. If he is anything like a 
decent player you will seldom gain, and nearly 
always lose an ace by so doing. Many people have 
told me that the man at the net has a sort of fasci- 
nation for them ; that he puts them off, makes 
them nervous, and they cannot help hitting at 
him ; that this is more especially the case when 
they are taking a serve, and then of course this man 
is directly opposite them. I can only advise such 



50 LAWK TENNIS. 

players not to look at him ; gaze at the server, 
and return the ball to him. There is plenty of 
room. Say you are taking the service in the right 
court : your up adversary is immediately in front 
of you ; therefore you have three-quarters, or at 
any rate two-thirds, of the whole net on your left 
of him over which to hit the ball, and a wide court 
to place it in ; or you can toss the ball over the 
head of the man at the net into the court far 
behind him. If, however, you are not put out 
by this man's presence so near the net, watch him 
well ; and if you get a chance, put the ball on 
his outer side. If you can get the ball past him 
there, you will probably score an ace, as his partner, 
being in the other court, cannot help him. If he 
is one of that sort who, not looking after his own 
court, plays and keeps near the centre of the net, 
you will have a gay time of it, for you can place 
the ball on either side of him at will, or toss it 
over his head, and his unfortunate partner will 
bo running to and fro*, never knowing which side 
to go to ; and, moreover, will be much disturbed 



THE DOUBLE GAME. 51 

by the presence of his partner, who is right in 
front of him, probably just where he wants to hit 
the ball to. Remember this, and if you are an up 
player, never keep near the centre of the net, but 
mind your own court, and to do that properly 
you will have quite enough to do. If you do by 
any chance run to the centre to take an easy ball, 
get back at once to your own court after playing 
it ; or if you know your partner, go on to the 
other side, and he will cover the space you have 
left empty. Help your partner by looking out for 
faults when he is taking service, and get him to 
do the same for you. Shout out when 3-011 are 
certain a ball is going out, and do so in time to 
prevent him from striking at the ball, not while 
he is in the act of striking, or else 3 T ou will balk 
him. If 3'ou are going to poach, say "mine," or 
intimate that 3'ou are going to take the ball, so 
that he may cover the empty court in time. In 
fact, help your partner as much as you can in 
every wa3 r . 

Xow we will look at the game as pla3^ed by two 



LAWN TENNIS. 

men. who stand about a foot behind * the service- 
line^. each in his own court, and volley. Here each 
player guards his own court, and there is no ne- 

:y for poaching. Each player plays as in a 

.me, and has, moreover, only little more 

ace to cover. Most of the balls 

y returned at the volley by these players,, it 
becomes very difficult work for their adverse 
who may not be accustomed to such quick play. 
Here each player, after moving to take a ball, 
should return to his normal position. Xeither 
player is put out by having his partner dodging 
about in front of him. They are both so placed 
that they are within easy reach of any balls 
dropped over the net, and they can run in and 
smash loose returns, while any ball put hard over 
their hea hat they cannot reach it, will go 

out of court. They should be careful to guard 
their outer side, and n in the right court 

should remember that his partner's front-hand is 



THE DOUBLE GAME. 53 

probably stronger than his own back-hand, and 
in the case of a doubtful ball should give way ac- 
cordingly. If they can volley, which is, of course, 
a sine qua non here, they can easily guard their 
respective courts, and it requires a very well-hit 
ball indeed to get past them. There is no empty 
space left in the court, if only each player will 
remember to get back to his proper position after 
taking a ball. It now simply becomes a question 
of how well they can play ; and as they are so 
placed that they can reach everything, they have 
only got to return the bails, and they must win. 
There is no confusion, no poaching, no getting 
in one another's way, no getting one in front of 
the other at one side of the court, and so leaving 
the whole of the other side unguarded. They 
leave this sort of thing to their up and back ad- 
versaries. Over two back adversaries they have 
nearly, but not quite, the same advantage as a 
volleyer has in a single court over a back-player. 
The element of the man at the net is done away 
with, as this person would have too hot a time of 



54 LAWN TENNIS. 

it with two good volleyers so close to him. I, 
for one, would like to see him abolished, and I 
hope we shall all be able to congratulate one an- 
other before very long in having said good-by to 
the " man at the net." 

Of course, .when all four are volleyers, the two 
best will drive the others back, and, forcing them 
to play the back game, will gain the advantage.'" 



VIL— KTTLES THAT AEE OFTEX DISKE- 
GABDED. THEIE OBJECT, AXD REA- 
SONS THEEEOF. 

Since writing the first edition of this pamphlet 
I have had several references made to me regard- 



* Never change your mind at the last moment, as it 
proves fatal in nine cases out of ten. If you have stepped 
forward intending to volley the ball, and it falls so far 
short that it might be taken on the bound, still preserve 
your original intention and volley it, even if by so 
doing you are convinced that your first judgment was 
wrong. It may be accepted as an invariable rule : ./■ 
change your mind. — Am. Ed. 



RULES THAT ARE OFTEK DISREGARDED. 55 

ing rules, and this lias induced me to add this 
chapter, with the object of pointing out those 
rules which appear to me to be generally broken, 
and at the same time to give a short explanation 
of why it is necessary they should remain in force. 

Rule 2. — Here note that while the size and 
weight of the balls are laid down, there is no re- 
striction as to the proportions of a bat. 

Rule 7. — " The server shall serve with one foot 
on the base-line, with the other foot behind that 
line, but not necessarily on the ground,'' etc. This 
rule is perpetually disregarded, and you may often 
see players serving with both feet within, or per- 
haps with both feet beyond, the base-line. The 
object of the above rule is manifestly to prevent 
a person from serving from a position too near 
the net, whence he would be able to smash down 
the ball in a manner impossible to take. 

Rule 13.—" The service may not be volleyed," 
etc. Very naturally not, as otherwise you could 
go right up to the net and kill every service. 
Here a decision by the " Field," June 18, 1881, 



56 . LAWN TENNIS. 

may be noticed. It is : "Or if it touches an ad- 
versary (before it bounds) it is a good service." 
The fact of it touching that adversary, or his bat, 
is equivalent to his having taken it, and there- 
fore an ace to you. Thus, at the score " vantage," 
if you were serving from the left court to the 
adversary on your right, and were by accident 
to hit the wrong adversary (i.e., the one in the 
other court), it would still be an ace to you, and 
game. This appears hard on your opponents at 
first sight, but the man you hit should have got 
out of the way : moreover, it could only occur very 
seldom. Meanwhile, if the reverse held good, an 
unprincipled adversary might stop any very good 
service of yours with his foot, and claim a let, or 
the same thing might occur unintentionally. 

Rule 14. — "The server shall not serve until 
the striker-out is ready." Mark this, you players 
who serve your second service rapidly after the 
first, without waiting to give your opponent any 
time. 

Rule 21, para. 2. — " If he lose the next stroke" 



RULES THAT ARE OFTEX DISREGARDED. t>7 

(lie being vantage), "the score is again called 
deuce ; hence there is no such score as " vantage- 
all"— see also the " Field," October 21, 188.2, This 
method of scoring has evidently been invented by 
little local clubs, who have not enough of courts 
for their members, or for some reason or other — 
to save time, perhaps. Of course, if players like 
to agree to this scoring, or if, for any special rea- 
son, the committee of a club decide that "vant- 
age-all" shall be scored, a player could hardly 
claim to have proper scoring of "back again to 
deuce." But if the committee do so decide, they 
should publish their decision before any match is 
played, and let it be generally known, to avoid 
disputes. * 

Rule 22. — By this you can see that the "rule" 
is to play "advantage sets,*' though the note 
leaves it optional. I have seen eighteen games 



* In the northern championship this ^ear (1885) at 
Manchester, England, one set required 26 games to de- 
cide it, the score standing 14-12. This is the longest 
game at present on record. — Am. Ed. 



58 LAWN TEXXIS. 

played in one set at Prince's, in the open handi- 
cap, before that set could be decided. 

Rule 23. — It does not appear to be generally 
known that players can claim to change sides of 
every game, if either side of the court has a dis- 
tinct advantage. 

Rule 38. — "Nor shall the strikers-out change 
courts till the end of the set." This rule is broken 
constantly, in order, I suppose, to give each 
player practice in either court. It should be ad- 
hered to in matches. 

Decisioxs by the "Field." 

November 19, 1881. — Note that it is a fault if 
you strike at the ball and miss it. 

December 3, 1881. — A player receiving 15 must 
commence serving in the right court. Eule 7 says 
"the server . . . shall deliver the ball from the 
right and left courts alternately, beginning from 
the right." Hence, no matter the points a player 
gets, he must begin from the right. I have heard 
people say that when they get 15 it is inconvenient 



RULES THAT AEE OFTEX DISREGARDED. 59 

beginning from the right court, as the scoring and 
the service do not then tally ; but I maintain that 
it is this very fact that enables them to see whether 
they are serving from the proper court, and acts 
as a guide to the score — that is, if you have 
started with 15 from the right court and the score 
becomes 40 — 30, and you are still serving from 
the right court, you ought to know you are in or- 
der, from the apparent wrongness of the score. 
Similarly, "a player who takes {i.e., claims) his 
bisque, serves from same court he would have 
served from if he had not taken it ;" and natu- 
rally so, as otherwise he would have to serve twice 
running from the same court. To revert to the 
previous discussion : I think the rule is in every 
way a judicious one, as, supposing the rule were 
that " a player getting 15 points should begin 
from the left court, " he would be much more 
likely to make the mistake of beginning from the 
right court (which he is naturally accustomed to 
do), and the umpire would be much less likely to 
notice this mistake than he or the player himself 



60 LAWN TENNIS. 

would be to make an error in the scoring, espe- 
cially when they have the apparent wrongness of 
score to act as their guide, as I have shown above. 
I have heard this point argued over and over again 
on either side in matches, and I think it a great 
pity there is not always a book of rules on every 
ground, for by this means all disputes would be 
saved. 

July 16, 1881.— "It is not a 'let' if a ball 
drops on another in court. "* [Moral. — Take care 
not to leave balls lying about in your court.] 

July 23. — "If you or your partner touch the 
net while the ball is 'in play/ you lose the stroke 
('ace'). - " By October 8, 1881, it can be seen that 
this is a point dependent on whether the ball was 
in play or not in play (see Kule 16) when the net 
was touched ; not on whether the ball was or was 
not properly returned. 

June 24, 1884. — " If, when you volley the ball, 
your racket is i not' over the net, you do not lose 

* Neither is it a stroke for your adversary. Return 
it if you can. — Am. Ed. 



RULES THAT ARE OFTEN 1 " DISREGARDED. 61 

the stroke unless your racket follows over the net 
before the ball has left it," — i.e., if your racket, 
at the moment the ball leaves it, is over the net, 
you lose an ace. In ordinary games, without an 
umpire, it -would be almost impossible to decide 
this point ; and in such practice-games it appears 
to me almost better to disregard this rule, and let 
the point be decided by whether or not the net 
were touched by the player in question. 

July 1, 1882. — "It is a good return if the ball 
is played after it has twisted back past the net, 
provided the net is not touched while the ball is 
in play." Thus, you may place your racket over 
and past the net to take a ball, which has already 
bounded, but you must not (in a match) " volley' 
a ball, with your racket in such a position. 

July 7, 1883. — The player who is touched by 
the ball in play loses the stroke — e.g. if you are 
standing clear out of court, and the ball hits you 
before it has bounded {i.e., while it is in play), it 
is an ace to the other side. 

The fact of your being out of court- is no argu- 



62 LAWN TENNIS. 

ment, as the " Field " graphically says " you may 
be standing near the net, or in the next parish." 
[Moral. — Avoid the ball when it is going out of 
court, even when you are out of court.] 



VIII.— WHEN TO TAKE A BISQUE. 

This is a point involving much careful consid- 
eration. The first thing is not to forget to take 
it. I have seen several matches lost by a player, 
who was receiving points, forgetting to take his 
bisque; The natural remark is, "How stupid of 
him I" but it must be remembered that a bisque 
may not be taken after the service has been deliv- 
ered.* 

Rule 25, para. 2. — A player might have meant 
to take his bisque at a certain period of the game. 
He forgets to do so at the required moment — 
meanwhile his adversary has served ; it is like 

* A bisque may be taken by the striker-out after a 
fault, but not by the server. — Am. Ed. 



WHEN TO TAKE A BISQUE. 63 

claiming two by honors at whist, after the turn- 
up card is exposed — too late ! He is annoyed 
with himself for his stupidity ; his play is affect- 
ed by his annoyance, and hence misfortune follows 
on misfortune, in compliance with the old prov- 
erb. 

However, we will assume the bisque is not go- 
ing to be forgotten, and then the question arises, 
when to take it ? First of all, do not be in a 
hurry to take it. It is always better to win a 
game with your bisque — i.e., to take it when you 
are vantage, than at any other particular period, 
and it is always better, too, to take it late on in 
the set, than at the beginning. Of course, the very 
best point at which to take it is when the score 
is five games-all, and you are vantage in the 
eleventh game, as you win the set thereby, and 
have given your adversary not only a great deal 
of work, but have also inflicted on him a severe 
disappointment. 

I will quote one or two instances, showing what 
I mean by leserving your bisque. Say you are 



IAWX TEHTSriS. 

four gam or opponent's love, and 40 to his 

30 in the fifth game, and are feeling pretty fit, 
while you seems tired : don't take your 

— reserve it : let him tire himself more : let 
-. tire himself completely >nt I j win- 
ning :he nex: tw< „;.mes. In the following _ 
Qot 3 as your judgment decid 
you happen to get to advantage. Of course, if 
you do not take it. and yet van this game, claim it 
if you get to vantage in the next game, as that will 
yon the set. But if in this, the eighth game 
fcwo 3 you win), you get 
15, do not claim your bifi 

makes the next ace :" for if you can win the 
set without I : g raken your bisqi will 

•ided moral advantage over 
opponent, as he will think he has been too ht 
han<~ sa he 

ably 

in pumping him a little more than 



WHEN TO TAKE A BISQUE. 65 

have clone had you won the game sooner. To go 
back a bit : I said if you are 40 — 30 in the fifth 
game and four games to love, and are feeling 
pretty fit while your adversary looks tired, don't 
take your bisque. The reverse of this is applica- 
able if the conditions are altered ; that is to say, 
if you are tired out by the time you reach the 
above score, and your adversary is not, take your 
bisque and win the fifth game. You are then 
five games to love, and can afford to lose two or 
three games for the sake of regaining your 
strength ; and when you have recovered, begin 
playing up again. This is called "saving your- 
self," and is a point to which sufficient attention 
is not given. It is like racing — don't run it too 
fine, but win by half a length, in preference to 
coming in a winner by several lengths. By the 
former plan j'Ou save your strength for the next 
sets, whereas if } T ou go on playing up when you 
are thoroughly tired in order to win by an unnec- 
essary amount, you will probably be useless in the 
succeeding sets. Another point at which you can 



66 LAWST TEXXI3. 

save yourself with, advantage is the following : 
Say you have won the first set, and that in the 
second set your adversary has scored four games 
to your one ; you have lost your breath, and are 
feeling a bit tired. Is it worth your while to ut- 
terly exhaust yourself by trying to pull this game, 
which is so far gone, out of the fire ? I should 
say not. Don't give in utterly, but at the same • 
time don't tire yourself more by running after 
difficult balls ; try and work your adversary, with 
the least possible exertion to yourself. Let him 
win this set, but try and make him tire himself 
in the so doing, and try yourself to recover your 
spent breath and strength. In the next set the 
conditions will probably be altered — that is, he 
will be pumped, while you are fresh after your 
rest, and have a better chance of winning than if 
you were utterly exhausted. At the score of three 
games-all, especially in the fifth set, it is a most 
important thing to secure the fourth game ; and 
I would here recommend a player to take his bisque 
in the seventh game, if he gets to vantage : and 



WHE2S TO TAKE A BISQUE. 67 

if his adversary got to vantage, I do not think he 
would be wrong to take his bisque and make the 
game deuce ; but then, of course, he would have 
to do his very utmost to try and win this game. 
At three-all, being just half-way through the set, 
it is most important to try by any means to get 
the start in the second half. At the score of five 
games-all, if your adversary gets to either " advan- 
tage," or is 40 to your 30, take your bisque, as it 
is all-important to you, to prevent at any hazards 
his winning this, the deciding game of the set. 
By exercising your judgment in taking your 
bisque, and also in saving yourself, you will win 
many a game that a less thoughtful player would 
lose. The great thing is just to hold your adver- 
sary as you would a pulling horse — feel his mouth, 
keep him well in hand, and if he gets right away 
with you, let him go a bit, only to take a stronger 
and more effective pull at him as soon as you get 
him in hand again. What I mean is this : if you 
get a long way ahead of your adversary, at the 
cost of a good deal of exertion to yourself, e^se 



68 LAWX TEXXIS. 

off a little bit, till you regain strength sufficient 
to put on a final spurt and win the game ; while, 
if your adversary gets so far away from you in any 
particular set that you feel it is hopeless, work 
him as much as you can, but reserve your chief 
effort for the next set, when you will again start 
on even terms with him.* 



IX.— A CHAPTER FOR LADIES. 

Single Game, Played by Two Ladies. 

Having been asked to add a chapter to my 
" Lawn Tennis Notes" specially for the benefit of 
ladies, I proceed to do so, but hope I may be ex- 
cused if I go over a little old ground. I am now 
only writing for the benefit of those ladies (and 
there are many such, I know) who love lawn ten- 

* Be careful not to " save" yourself too much, as you 
may get your hand out and not be able to play up again, 
as in the famous case of Grinstead vs. Browne. — 
Am. Ed. 



A CHAPTER FOR LADIES. 69 

nis as a " game of skill, " and who do not play 
merely to kill time. 

The first essential, if yon wish to get to anything ' 
beyond mediocrity as a player, is to dress for the 
pnrpose. Luckily short dresses are now in fashion, 
so there is not much difficulty about that point ; 
but if the fashion changes, I implore you to beware 
of long dresses, for two very good reasons : 

1. The long dress will spoil your play ; and 

2. The play will spoil your long dress. 

The next point to pay attention to is shoes. Of 
course you will wear shoes without heels, and 
equally, of course, will the soles be of India-rubber. 
A tight shoe being a disadvantage should be dis- 
carded, even though it may offer some attraction 
in the matter of appearance. A great big hat that 
waggles about is also trying to the. wearer, as also 
are bangles, bracelets, and suchlike ornaments — 
not to mention five or six rings on one finger. 
These latter are more liable to cause blisters, by 
pinching up the skin between the hand and the 
bat, than anything I know of. We will now sup- 



70 LAWN TENNIS. 

pose } T ou have attired yourself in a suitable cos- 
tume of cashmere or flannel, a nice small hat, and 
a pair of easy-fitting shoes, and that you are about 
to play a single game against a girl antagonist that 
you would give worlds to beat. (I will treat of 
the double game as played by two ladies on a side, 
and then by a gentleman and a lady, afterwards. ) 
You win the toss, choose the best side, and your 
adversary serves first from the right court. She 
will probably go to the extreme corner of the right 
of her court to serve (most ladies do, I notice). 
Mark this, and return the ball, as nearly as you 
can, into the left corner of her left court. There 
is nothing difficult in this, if you make up your 
mind to it. It is simply hitting the ball straight 
in front of you. Let the ball come a little past 
you on the bound and then hit it, and you can 
hardly help sending it straight to your front. Re- 
member, too, that a ball hops a good long distance. 
Many people forget this, and rush to the place 
where they think the ball will bound, and thus 
giye themselves a difficult stroke A ball struck 



A CHAPTER FOR LADIES. 71 

in an ordinary way will bound about 6 ft., 
and at 3 ft. will be at about its highest point. It 
is easier to strike a ball on the descent of its bound 
than it is on the ascent ; so if you remain, or go 
to, about 4£ ft. behind where you think an ordi- 
narily hit ball will bound from, you will be in about 
the best position to place your return. But this 
is merely parenthetical, so revenons a nos moutons. 
You have succeeded in driving the ball into the left 
of your adversary's court, and have thus given her 
a run from the right to the left corner. She will 
probably, after her long run, give a fairly easy re- 
turn, which you will be able to place into the right 
corner of her right court, thus making her run 
again ; or if her back-hand is weak, keep on attack- 
ing it. By these tactics you will weary your adver- 
sary, and will most likely win the games in which 
she serves. Of course, when she serves from the 
extreme corner of her left court, you would return 
the ball into her right court, and so on. 

Now to come to the games in which you are 
server. You have seen by the above that you 



72 LAWX TESTIS. 

gain a distinct advantage over an adversary who 
chooses either extreme corner to serve from, so do 
not commit this mistake yourself. Serve from 
about 2 ft. to the right or left of the centre line 
of your court, as then, if your adversary returns 
the ball to either corner, you have only half the 
distance to run that you would have were you in 
the far corner. This is not the only advantage. 
By serving from near the centre of the court it is 
much easier for you to serve to either the front or 
back-hand of your adversary, as you please, than 
it is to do so from the corner, whence you have a 
natural tendency to send the ball in a similarly 
diagonal direction across her court each time. You 
will see what I mean by trying, on a court, to serve 
to your adversary's back-hand from the extreme 
corner of your right court. Try this also from 
near the centre, and I think you will agree with 
me that it is easier to do so from the latter place. 
Eemember another point, and that is, that the 
greater judgment and knowledge you show m dis- 
covering where the ball will pitch, after it has 



A CHAPTER FOR LADIES. 73 

been hit, the less you will have to run about. This 
knowledge of " where the ball will go " is less com- 
mon amongst ladies than men, chiefly on account 
of the latter having more experience in other 
games, such as cricket and rackets, where it 
becomes a second nature to a man to know where 
his adversary will hit, almost before he has hit, 
though he could perhaps hardly explain how he 
arrives at this knowledge. It is a sort of subtle 
instinct born of judgment and observation, and 
matured by practice. It can only be acquired by 
patiently watching how each ball is struck, and 
noticing, by the effort made by the striker, the 
amount of force put on the ball ; and by watching 
from the lie of his bat with respect to his body, 
and the inclination of his sight (as detailed in 
Chapter II.), the direction in which the ball will 
be sent. Again, I must hark back to where you 
have delivered your service from nearly the centre 
of the court. If you have acquired the knowledge 
just described you will guess where your adversary 
will send the ball, and will be there in time to re- 



74 LAWK TEKNIS. 

turn it with effect, and perhaps to establish your 
attack, in the same manner as you did Avhen she 
was serving. But if you have not acquired this in- 
stinct, you must do the best you can, and with ac- 
tivity, backed up by an ability to place the ball, you 
may still establish your attack. Eemember, also, 
never to play a ball without an object ! Try every 
time to give such a return that it will, at the least, 
make your adversary run — before she can get it ; 
or if, after a long run, you find the return too diffi- 
cult to place, toss it in the air as high as you can, 
to give yourself time to recover your position and 
your breath. Do not try and volley much — the vol- 
ley game is not made for ladies ! It is too quick, 
and is too great a strain on the system. But when 
you are in a difficulty, and either cannot get out 
of the way of the ball, or cannot run back quickly 
enough to take it on the bound, then by all means 
volley it : never "half volley," if you can possibly 
help it ; it is a most dangerous stroke, and is 
never difficult to return. 



A CHAPTER FOE LADIES. ?5 



The double game, as played by tico ladies on 
either side. 

I should recommend here that both ladies play 
back, for the reason just quoted — viz., that a 
woman's weakest point in this game is volleying. 
Each keep to your own side, i.e., right and left, 
putting the stronger player in the right court. This 
may appear at first strange advice, for you will say 
that this will give the adversaries an opportunity 
of playing on the weaker player's back-hand. If, 
-however, j^our partner keeps well to the left of her 
court, nearly everything will come to her front- 
hand, and you will have the additional advantage 
of getting more of the game yourself. Again, to 
save or make the first ace is a most important 
point, and as you are more likely to be able to do 
that than your weaker partner, take the right 
court to enable you to do so. You may also get 
an extra service by these means, which is a great 
point, if your partner's service is weak. Play, 



76 LAVTX TEXXIS. 

either of you, from about between the service and 
base lines, and send the balls as far back into the 
adversaries court as possible. 

Double game — gentleman and lady on either side. 

Here the same argument holds good, for the 
gentleman to take the right court, provided he 
is anything of a player. If his partner is sure 
and steady at her returns, he may play "in" 
and volley ; if not, he should drop back, and help 
her as much as possible. Let the lady remember 
to play at the opposite lady, and not to the gen- 
tleman adversary, as, her returns being perhaps not 
very difficult, he may demolish them. If her part- 
ner says "all right," or "mine," she should let 
the ball go to him, as he will probably make a 
better stroke than she will. Above all, let her pay 
attention, and not let her mind or eyes wander 
over to the other courts, or to inspect some new 
arrival. There is nothing more galling than to 
find one's partner inattentive. Another thing ct 



A CHAPTER POP, LADIES. 77 

lawn tennis is, never give in ! A game is never 
lost till it is won, and I have seen the most extra- 
ordinary games pulled off by patience, combined 
with plucky determination. 



LAWS OF LAWN TENNIS 



AS ADOPTED BY 



THE M.C.C. AND THE A.E. L. T.C. 



THE SIInGLE-HANDED GAME. 

1. For the single-handed game, the court is 27 ft. in 
width and 78 ft. in length. It is divided across the 
middle by a net, the ends of which are attached to the 
tops of two posts at A and A, which stand 3 ft. outside 
the court on each side. The height of the net is 3 ft. 
G in. at the posts, and 3 ft. at the centre. At each end of 
the court, parallel with the net, and at a distance of 39 
ft. from it, arc drawn the base-lines CD and EI\ the ex- 
tremities of which are connected by the side-lines CE 
and DF. Half-way between the side-lines, and paral- 
lel with them, is drawn the half -court-line Gil, dividing 
the space on each side of the net into two equal parts, 
called the right and left courts. On each side of the net 
at a distance of 21 ft. from it, and parallel with it, are 
drawn the service-linc-i XX and YY. 

2. The balls shall be not less than 2\- in. nor more 
than 2 T 9 5 in. in diameter ; and not less than 1; oz. nor 
more than 2 oz. in weight. 



LAWS OP LAWX TEX!NTS. 



3. In matches, where umpires are appointed their 
decision shall be final. 

4. The choice of sides and the right of serving dur- 
ing the first game shall be decided by toss ; provided 
that, if the winner of the toss choose the right to serve, 
the other player shall have the choice of sides, and vice 
versa. 

5. The players shall stand on opposite sides of the 
net : the player who first delivers the ball shall be 
called the server, the other the striker-out. 

6. At the end of the first game, the striker-out shall 
become server, and the server shall become striker-out ; 
and so on alternately in the subsequent games of the 
set. 

D X A Y F 



H 





42 


feet. 






78 


feet. 


N 



C X 

Scale T V in. to yard. 

Sixgle Court. 

7. The server shall serve with one foot od the base- 
line, with the other foot behind that line but not necessa- 
rily upon the ground, and shall deliver the service from 
the right and left courts alternately, beginning from 
the right. 

8. The ball served must drop within the service-line, 
half-court-line, and side-line of the court, which is di- 
agonally opposite to that from which it was served, or 
upon any such line. 



LAWN TEXXIS. 

0. It is a fault if the service be delivered from the 
wrong court, or if the server do not stand as directed in 
Law 7, or if the ball served drop in the net or beyond 
the service-line, or if it drop out of court or in the wrong 
court. 

10. A fault may not be taken. 

11. After a fault the server shall serve again from the 
same court- from which he served that fault, unless it 
was a fault because served from the wrong court. 

12. A fault may not be claimed after the next service 
has been delivered. 

13. The service may not be volleyed — i.e., taken be- 
fore it touches the ground. 

14. The server shall not serve until the striker-out is 
ready. If the latter attempt to return the service, he 
shall be deemed to be ready. 

1-5. A service or fault delivered when the striker-out 
is not ready counts for nothing. 

16. A ball is in play from the moment at which it is 
delivered in service (unless a fault) until it has been 
volleyed by the striker-out in his first stroke, or has 
dropped in the net or out of court, or has touched either 
of the players, or anything that he wears or carries, 
cept his racket in the act of striking, or has been struck 
by either of the players with his racket more than once 
consecutively, or has been volleyed before it has passed 
the net, or has failed to pass over the net before it- 
bound, or has touched the ground twice consecutively 
on either side of the net, though the second time may 
have been out of court. 

IT. It is a good ret urn, although the ball touch 
the net ; but if the ball served touch the net, the 



LAWS OF LAWN TEXXIS. 81 

service, provided it be otherwise good, counts for 
nothing. 

18. The server wins a stroke, if the striker-out 
volley the service, or fail to return the service, or the 
ball in play, or return the service or ball in play so 
that it drop outside any of the lines which bound 
his opponent's court, or otherwise lose a stroke, as 
provided by Law 20. 

19. The striker- out wins a stroke if the server 
serve two consecutive faults, or fail to return the 
ball in play, or return the ball in play so that it 
drop outside any of the lines wmich bound his op- 
ponent's court, or otherwise lose a stroke as provided 
by Law 20. 

20. Either player loses a stroke if the ball in 
play touch him or anything that he wears or carries, 
except his racket in the act of striking ; or if he 
touch or strike the ball in play with his racket more 
than once ; or if he touch the net or any of its 
supports while the ball is in play ; or if he volley 
the ball before it has passed the net. 

21. On either player winning his first stroke, the 
score is called 15 for that player ; on either player win- 
ning his second stroke, the score is called 30 for that 
player ; on either player winning his third stroke, the 
score is called 40 for that player ; and the fourth stroke 
won by either player is scored game for that player, ex- 
cept as below : 

If both players have won three strokes the score 
is called deuce ; and the next stroke won by 
either player is scored advantage for that play- 
er. If the same player win the next stroke, he 



82 LAWN TEXXIS. 

wins the game ; if he lose the next stroke, the 
game is again called deuce ; and so on until 
either player win the two strokes immediately 
following the score of deuce, when the game 
is scored for that player. 
22. The player who first wins six games wins a set, 
except as below : 

If both players win five games the score is called 
games-all ; and the next game won by either 
player is scored advantage game for that play- 
er. If the same player win the next game, he 
wins the set : if he lose the next game, the 
score is again called games-all ; and so on un- 
til either player win the two games immediate- 
ly following the score of games-all, when he 
wins the set. 

Note.— Players may agree not to play advantage-sets, but to 
decide the set by one game after arriving at the score 
of games-all. 

23. The players shall change sides at the end of 
every set ; but the umpire, on appeal from either party 
before the toss for choice, may direct the players to 
change sides at the end of every game, if, in his 
opinion, either side have a distinct advantage, owing to 
the sun, wind, or any other accidental cause ; but, if 
the appeal be made after a match has been begun, the 
umpire may only direct the players to change sides at 
the end of every game of the odd and concluding 

24. When a series of sets is played, the player who 
was server in the last game of one set shall be striker- 
out in the first game of the next. 



LAWS OF LAW2ST TEX2STIS. 83 

ODDS. 

25. A bisque is one stroke, which may be claimed by 
the receiver of the odds at any time during a set, ex- 
cept as below : 

A bisque may not be taken after the service has 

been delivered. 
The server may not take a bisque after a fault, but 

the striker-out may do so. 

26. One or more bisques may be given in augmenta- 
tion or diminution of other odds. 

27. Half -fifteen is one stroke given at the beginning 
of the second and every subsequent alternate game of a 
set. 

28. Fifteen is one stroke given at the beginning of 
every game of a set. 

29.. Half -thirty is one stroke given at the beginning 
of the first game ; two strokes at the beginning of the 
second game ; and so on, alternately, in all the subse- 
quent games of a set. 

30. Thirty is two strokes given at the beginning of 
every game of a set. 

31. Half -forty is two strokes given at the beginning 
of the first game ; three strokes at the beginning of the 
second game ; and so on, alternately, in all the subse- 
quent games of a set. 

32. Forty is three strokes given at the beginning of 
every game of a set. 

33. Half -court : the players having agreed into which 
court the giver of the odds shall play, the latter loses 
a stroke if the ball, returned by him, drop outside any 
of the lines which bound that court. 



84 



LAWN TEXXIS. 



THE THREE-HAXDED AXD FOUR-HAXDED 

GAMES. 

34. The above laws shall apply to tlie tliree-lianded 
and four-handed games, except as below. 

35. For the three-handed and four-handed games the 
court is 36 ft. in width. "Within the side-lines, at a dis- 
tance of 4+ ft. from them, and parallel with them, are 
drawn the service-side-lines, Jr and XT. The ser- 
vice-lines are not drawn beyond the points XX and 
YYj towards the side-lines. In other respects the 
court is similar to that which is described in Law 1. 

D A F 



X 

42 feet. 


Y 

■tS 

- 
•— 



// 






C A E 

Scale iV in. to yard. 

Double CornT. 

36. In the three-handed game the simple player shall 
serve in every alternate game. 

37. In the four-handed game the pair who have the 
right to serve in the first game may decide which 
partner shall do so. and the op] ir may decide 
similarly for the second game. The partner of the 
player who served in the first game shall serve in the 
third ; and the partner of the player who served in the 



LAWS OF LAWK TENNIS. 85 

second game shall serve in the fourth ; and so on in 
the same order in all the subsequent games of a set. 

38. The players shall take the service alternately 
throughout each game ; no player shall receive or re- 
turn a service delivered to his partner ; and the order 
of service and of striking out, once arranged, shall not 
be altered, nor shall the strikers-out change courts to 
receive the service before the end of the set. 

39. The ball served must drop within the service-line, 
half-court-line, and service-side-line of the court which 
is diagonally opposite to that from which it was served, 
or upon any such line. 

40. It is a fault if the ball do not drop as provided 
in Law 39. 

DECISIONS BY THE "FIELD," 1881-83. 

SERVING. 

July 30, 1881.* — There is no restriction as to the 
order of serving and of striking out at the beginning of 
a fresh set. Law 24, when applied to a four-handed 
game, only prescribes that the side that last served 
shall strike out in the first game of the next set. Which 
of the two players shall serve is left to their option. 

It is not necessary that the server in the first game 
should receive the first service in the second game. 

June 18, 1881. — In serving, if the ball touches one of 
the adversaries before it drops, it is immaterial where 
it would have dropped, and counts as a good service. 

September 24, 1881. — In our opinion, if in the service 

* The dates here given are those of the "Field " in which the de- 
cisions appeared. 



86 LAWN TENNIS. 

the ball touches the server's partner, it is a fault. The 
ball must be deemed to have dropped as soon as it 
touches the partner, and consequently it has not dropped 
in the service-court. 

November 19, 1881. — It is a fault if you strike at the 
ball and miss it, but not if you throw up the ball and 
let it drop without attempting to strike it. 

February 17, 1883. — After a stroke has been decided, 
it is too late to object that the wrong player delivered 
the service. 

HANDICAPS. 

August 20, 1881. — There is no priority in taking a 
bisque. 

October 22, 1881. — A receives fifteen in the first game 
of each set. What odds he had in the last game of the 
preceding set makes no difference. 

December 3, 1881. — A player receiving fifteen must 
commence serving from the rioht-hand court. 

A player who takes a bisque serves from the same 
court he would have served from if he had not taken it. 

July 7, 1883. — Six bisques are considered equivalent 
to fifteen, three to half-fifteen. 

July 7, 1883. — Owe half -fifteen is one stroke owed at 
the beginning of the first and every subsequent alter- 
nate game of a set. 

It will thus be observed that when half odds are 
received, they arc given in the second, fourth, etc., 
games ; and that when half odds are owed, they are 
paid in the first, third, &c, games of a set. 

MISCELLANEOUS. 

July 10, 1881. — It is not a let if a ball drops on 
another in court. 



LAWS OF LAWN TEHKTS. 87 

July 23, 1881. — If you or your partner touch, the net 
while the ball is in- play, you lose the stroke. 

October 8, 1881. — It depends on whether the ball was 
in play at the moment A touched the net, not whether 
B's return was manifestly below the net-cord. The ques- 
tion of time is one of fact for the umpire to decide, and 
if he is unable to do so, the stroke must be played again. 

June 24, 1882. — If when you volley the ball your 
racket is not over the net, you do not lose the stroke 
unless your racket follows over the net before the ball 
has left it. This is a point involving fractions of an 
inch, and it must be decided by sight. 

July 1, 1882. — The server's partner cannot claim "not 
ready," but only the player served to. 

July 1, 1882. — The striker loses a stroke if he volleys 
the ball before it has passed the net, whether he touches 
the net or not. In the case of a ball which has dropped 
and twists back over the net, it is a good return if the 
ball is played after it has twisted back past the net, pro- 
vided the net is not touched whilst the ball is in play. 

October 21, 1832. — The matches at Wimbledon are 
played under the laws of the M.C.C. and A.E.L.T.C. 
Such a score as u vantage-all " would not be allowed 
there. 

July 7, 1883. — The player who is touched by the ball 
in play loses the stroke. I!; is immaterial whether he is 
standing close to the net or in the next parish. 

May 12, 1883. — Either hand or both hands may be 
used. 

June 30, 1883. — It is immaterial where the player is 
standing. The whole question is, Does the ball touch 
him before it drops ? If it does, he loses the stroke, 



88 LAWK TEXXIS. 

TABLE SHOWING METHOD OF CALCULATING 
DIFFERENTIAL ODDS. 

■ For instance, A can give i> 15, andean give C 30 ; 
it does not therefore follow that B should give G only 
15. To make a perfect handicap, he should give him 
a little more, for the following reason : The game, if 
begun B 0, C 15, will be a longer one than if it were 
called B 15, C 30, which are the real points ; hence, 
in the longer game B should give a trifle more than 
15 — the following table will show how much more, 
and will calculate the differential odds in all cases : 











^ 


.d 










r$ 


& 










■r 






rH 


si 




& 


,d 




i-« 


c< 




X5 


,d 




I 

2 






- 


+ 




i-i 


c? 




+ 


+ 




T-l 


?* 




,Q 


td 


ir. 


o 




-f 


+ 






% 




+ 


+ 






C* 


s 


s 


s 


»ri 


lO 


to 


S 


S 


r^ W 


o 

CO 


§ 





i. 


11. 


in. 


IV. 


v. 


VI. 


VII. 


VIII. IX. X. 


XI. xn. 


XIII. 


XIV. 


~a 


i. 





t 


T 


IT 








T o 










~D 


II. 


± 





z 





1 1 


"T i i 


1 




m 


in. 








"o~ 


XZZ 


TT,~r 


1 




\F 


IV. 





~o~ o 


111 


111 


o 




G 


v. 





TTT1 


1 


1 


2 


~T~ 




~n 


vTfo" 


jljlU 


1 


2 


■ 


^~ 




















/ VII. 


1 


1 


1 


2 


2 


2 


~\K_ 


vin. 


][ 


_1 


T 


2 


2 




L ix. 





1 


i 


2 


2 


-JT 


"T 


i 


2 


g 




XI. 


T 


1 


e 
















XII 


1 


i 



















XIII. 


i 



Tlie method of working the table is as follows 



LAWS OF LAWtf TEXXIS. 89 

1. First of all, as six games win the best out of eleven, 
so six bisques are calculated to be equal to 15. 

2. The figures 1, 2, 3 in the table show the number 
of bisques to be added to the difference between the re- 
spective odds. For example, suppose a player in class 
in. is drawn against a player in class ix. , the difference 
between their respective odds is 6 bisques — i.e., 15. 
Kow, by running the eye along the third (in.) hori- 
zontal band of the table (to which in. is prefixed) 
until we come to the perpendicular column above which 
is ix., we find ix. has one (1) differential bisque from 
in. Hence in. gives ix. 15 + 1 bisque. 

3. To take the case of A, B, and (7, already quoted, 
and to find how much more than 15 B ought to give C. 
where A is scratch, giving B 15 and G 30. B, receiving 
15 (or 6 bisques), is in class vi. ; similarly, C, who re- 
ceives 12 bisques from scratch, is in class xn. The 
difference between their respective odds is 6 bisques= 
15. Now find vi. in the side figures, and run your eye 
along till you come to the perpendicular column headed 
by xn. You find the figure 2=2 bisques : hence, in 
the case above quoted, B ought to give G 15+2 
bisques. 

4. Where the odds given exceed 30, or where the 
difference between the best and next best player is J15 
or more, then make the highest class above scratch — 
that is, make the best player begin with a minus quan- 
tity, which he has to wipe off before he can score. 

5. The strength of any pair is discovered by divid- 
ing their united odds from scratch, as expressed in 
bisques, by 2. Thus class n. and class yiii. , as partners, 
get 10 bisques. Divide by 2=class y. ; or, in other 



90 LAWK TENNIS. 

words, they would get 5 bisques — i.e. £15 + 2, bisques 
from two scratch players. 

6. If the addition of such points results in an odd 
number, add a bisque before .dividing by 2. Thus 
class in. and class it. are drawn against class Tin. and 
class ix. as partners — 3 + 4=7. This being an odd 
number, add 1, which makes it 8. Similarly add 
1 to 17=18. Divide each by 2 now, and you get 
class it. playing class ix., and giving them 5 bisques + 
1 bisque differential odds, or a total of 6 bisques=15. 



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